Heineken Cup 2013/2014 - Glasgow and Edinburgh

Draw just out:

POOL 2
1.Toulon (Domestic league placing this year: 2nd)
2. Cardiff Blues (Domestic league placing this year: 9th)
3. Glasgow Warriors (Domestic league placing this year: 3rd)
4. Exeter Chiefs (Domestic league placing this year: 6th)

POOL 6
1. Munster (Domestic league placing this year: 6th)
2. Perpignan (Domestic league placing this year: 7th)
3. Edinburgh (Domestic league placing this year: 10th)
4. Gloucester (Domestic league placing this year: 5th)

What do we think of this?

From a Glasgow perspective, it's not bad at all. I would rather have had Munster as the Tier 1 team but I think that we will do well against the Blues and Asbo's Army. I would definitely back us to qualify as a high scoring loser team at least.

From an Edinburgh perspective, I actually think that it's tougher as there's no team to which I would point and say that any fixture is a guaranteed win.

Edinburgh could get 2nd, depends what the new coach etc etc brings would 2nd in this group get into knock outs? or Almin?
Edinburgh could also come last.

Glasgow are the ones we have been building up, 1st achieveable for them 2nd at least and home that 2nd is good enough for knock out round. If its th eAlmin, Glasgow are good enough to win that.

I think it is possible for Edinburgh to qualify as none of the teams are any of the favourites although they're probably the weakest team in the group. Glasgow must surely target remaining unbeaten at home and taking a bonus point against the Blues and the Chiefs and winning at least five out of six in total, I imagine Toulon away will be a stretch too far although if a Scottish team is ever to win the Heineken cup it may have to be next season

Good draw for us GC- and one that wiil test Mr ASBO's loyalties to the limits. Glasgow Boy returns in a Chief's headress - not a chance !!!!!

WARRIORS - WHATEVER IT TAKES

In general terms, the draw hasn't been too unkind. And at least Edinburgh avoid Cardiff. I can't remember when/if we have played Glaws in Europe before.
If memory serves me, I think we gave Perpignan a good British style thrashing, six of the best, trousers down etc once before. They seem to be one of the French teams who look on away matches in Europe as a pain
Toulon should walk the other group but Glasgow must fancy their chances of second ands bash at the Amlin

I think Glasgow can do well. Assuming they get another 10 points against hapless Cardiff. Exeter are a new foe for you but a bit one-dimensional, I don't see any reason why Glasgow can't get 5 points against them at home. Then there's the Heineken Cup champions who can step up against what they would consider weak opposition, which for them is the other 3 teams in their pool. Glasgow need to really front up in these fixtures otherwise they could suffer heavy defeats. Front up and I'm sure your backs will start scoring tries.
Edinburgh in my opinion, don't stand a chance.

You are right Saint. We don't stand a chance but shouldn't get humiliated like we were last season

We don't really have a problem fronting up v anyone any more. Lack of control at times is our undoing. Score tries almost in extraordinary bursts and then go into our shell. Basically now we fear no-one.

WARRIORS - WHATEVER IT TAKES

Question for the Weedge – are you confident you will manage to not ‘do an Edinburgh’ and have a disappointing season next season? I think it would be even more disappointing if you do than what Edinburgh have just had, as the Weedge have been able to build consistency as opposed to Edinburgh just winning one off big games.

Personally I think you’ll be OK, particularly as you won’t have the disruption the same as the start of last year and Toony and the leaders in the squad will ensure against complacency. However a high standard has been set – it’s going to be a tough act to follow.

For me Glasgow really need to try to do something in the HK this year – anything less than 2nd in the group will be deemed a failure I think. There’s never been a better Glasgow squad to do it!

Hopefully the blues won't be as urine poor as they were last season and with a new pitch i'd hope we can turn Glasgow over at home, we certainly have the players to do it. The learning the youngsters got this year will be invaluable but it's all about timing, if it's the december double header we'll probably suffer due to team wales v australia game #32151

Glasgow can qualify. Toulon on the road will be the acid test. How will those superstars do on a cold December night in Scotstoun.

Get a home win against Toulon, do the double over Cardiff and at a minimum win your home game against Exeter.

Thats 16 points assuming you don't pick up a bonus point along the way. Then a win over Exeter can clinch you place in the quarters.

No reason it can't be done. Even if you lost to Exeter but got losing bonus point and won big in other games you'd be fine.

Stag - what do you make of the Munster / Edinburgh group? Definitely there for the taking from a Munster POV - here's hoping Edinburgh can turn up this time round!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Stag - what do you make of the Munster / Edinburgh group? Definitely there for the taking from a Munster POV - here's hoping Edinburgh can turn up this time round!

The diplomatic answer is that Gloucester have some great young players coming through to give the Shed something to smile about, Edinburgh are a team who have shown in the past they can go on to challenge in the latter stages of this tournament by beating some of the biggest teams in Europe and they don't call Perpignan's Stade Aime Giral, "The Bear Pit" for nothing.

In reality I am ecstatic with the pool. Munster are vulnerable at the moment. The losses of Doug Howlett and especially Ronan O'Gara will test us in the depths of a Heineken Cup campaign. By getting Perpignan it meant we avoided Leicester, Quins, Saracens and Northampton. Equally in Tier 3 we could have faced Scarlets, Ospreys, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Glasgow, Scarlets and especially Ospreys worried me. Edinburgh we beat four times last year. And then in Tier 4 it was down to Exeter or Gloucester for our English team. I don't theres much difference but both are step down from the other 4 english teams.

All in all the best pool we could have hoped for. I don't think there is a better pool available. I would be certainly aiming for at least 21 points in that group. I would be very annoyed if we lost in both Perpignan and Kingsholm; tough places to go as they are.

" Exeter are a new foe for you but a bit one-dimensional" !!!!!!!!!......you jest .

They have been described as the Toulose of the prem

red_stag wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Stag - what do you make of the Munster / Edinburgh group? Definitely there for the taking from a Munster POV - here's hoping Edinburgh can turn up this time round!

The diplomatic answer is that Gloucester have some great young players coming through to give the Shed something to smile about, Edinburgh are a team who have shown in the past they can go on to challenge in the latter stages of this tournament by beating some of the biggest teams in Europe and they don't call Perpignan's Stade Aime Giral, "The Bear Pit" for nothing.

In reality I am ecstatic with the pool. Munster are vulnerable at the moment. The losses of Doug Howlett and especially Ronan O'Gara will test us in the depths of a Heineken Cup campaign. By getting Perpignan it meant we avoided Leicester, Quins, Saracens and Northampton. Equally in Tier 3 we could have faced Scarlets, Ospreys, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Glasgow, Scarlets and especially Ospreys worried me. Edinburgh we beat four times last year. And then in Tier 4 it was down to Exeter or Gloucester for our English team. I don't theres much difference but both are step down from the other 4 english teams.

All in all the best pool we could have hoped for. I don't think there is a better pool available. I would be certainly aiming for at least 21 points in that group. I would be very annoyed if we lost in both Perpignan and Kingsholm; tough places to go as they are.

Jeez, could have sugar coated it a little bit!

rosbif wrote:" Exeter are a new foe for you but a bit one-dimensional" !!!!!!!!!......you jest .

They have been described as the Toulose of the prem

What idiot described them as that...

Probably Barnes